KOTA KINABALU (May 22): Access to the pedestrian bridge spanning across the lake in Taman Tun Fuad Stephens Bukit Padang here is closed to the public as the structure is unsafe to be used.
City Hall Mayor Datuk Noorliza Awang Alip said a new bridge will be built to replace the current one which is old and not safe to be used by the public.
Noorliza in a statement on Sunday said construction of the new bridge is expected to commence this year and the project will be implemented as one of the components of the Sabah Botanical Garden Development Project through an allocation that has been approved by the Federal Government.
“This includes upgrading of other facilities such as the construction of plazas, pedestrian tracks, platforms in the lake, public toilets, botanical centers and other facilities around the Taman Tun Fuad Stephens Bukit Padang lake area,” she said.
Noorliza said this in response to the photo of the dilapidated bridge that went viral on social media recently.
Taman Tun Fuad Stephens Bukit Padang is a very popular recreational area for people in the state capital and surrounding area. They come to jog along the track and hike along the several trails in the park as well as patronise the eateries there.
Noorliza said in order to increase the level of safety, City Hall will install temporary barrier walls in areas closed to the public.
City Hall, she said, will continue to carry out repair work of other damages in the area in order of priority taking into account the safety risks to park users and the existing allocation.
“Visitors are advised to always exercise care when using public facilities at Taman Tun Fuad Stephens Bukit Padang and pay attention to the notices provided by City Hall. Any inconvenience caused by this matter is deeply regretted,” she said.
It was learnt that access to the bridge was closed since 2020 and the tender for the project is expected to be called in July this year. The project is expected to be completed by 2024.